THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

    Driving north out of Jackson, Mississippi, travelers have several choices: an Interstate, two lane state and local roads, and the Natchez Trace Parkway. I followed the brown direction signs onto the parkway and stopped at the first historical marker and crafts shop less than a mile along the parkway. The Natchez Trace was a communications artery used first by Choctaw Indians, trappers, missionaries, traders, settlers, and outlaws from the late 18th century. It was acquired by the U.S. government and is now maintained as a limited access, medium speed highway. There are no billboards, roadside businesses, or many vehicles. Part of it is raised and a wide border of grass separates the blacktop from tall stands of pine, swamp, and the Ross Barnett Reservoir. It runs through wide fields of soy and corn. Local roads pass under it, and in a few places farms divided by the parkway have their own underpass. The landscape is so clean it appears to be computer generated for a video driving game where the fractal trees and the flawless pavement don't seem real. It is a very relaxing drive, unlike any other public road. There are such parkways in national parks, but this runs for hundreds of miles between Natchez, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee, I put the rental car on cruise and thought about my destinations, coming storms, and access.